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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

I was overjoyed when I saw this simple refreshing drink recipe from The Malaysian Women's Weekly foodbook which I bought few days ago. The main reason is; lemongrass and green tea with a twist of lemon slices are my all time favourite. I love using lemongrass as one of the ingredients in Asian cooking. It smells simply fragrant and taste delicious.

I am consuming Japanese green tea daily, which helps in maintaing good health and helps in weight loss. To achieve an ideal weight and slim body are every ladies' dream especially after becoming a Mommy. I was eager to try it out as soon as I saw the recipe, since it contains of natural goodness and a refreshing drink. I love the smell of lemongrass in this drink and it is a prefect combination of green tea and lemon slices with few drizzles of raw honey! I have modified the recipe by adding 2 tablespoons of raw honey to enhance the taste. It is great to consume a glass of drink full of goodness and thirst quenching in this hot season.

Lemongrass and green tea are versatile ingredients in cooking and also beneficial in maintaining good health. Their goodness is well-known regardless of traditional or modern medical benefits. Lemon grass is not only a useful ingredient in the kitchen but also one of the natural remedy of inserts and mosquitoes rebellion agent. There are many household products using lemon grass extract due to their benefit of expelling inserts & mosquitoes, such as floor cleaner or moisquito rebellion badges. More benefits of lemongrass & recipe from my other post here.

What makes green tea so special? The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. Free radicals are the damaging compounds in the body which alters the cells, tampers with the DNA or may also cause cell death. The occurrence of Free radicals is natural in the body but environmental pollutants can also get added as the damaging particles in the body. Polyphenols which are present in the Green tea are excellent anti-oxidants which neutralizes the Free radicals and helps in preventing the damage caused by the free radical. Green tea also helps the body in protecting the cells from damages which are believed to be linked with Cancer. Hence Green tea is considered as a powerful anti-oxidant.

Besides, a powerful anti-oxidant, green tea helps in boosting the metabolism rate of the body and also helps in burning fat. In another words, green tea induces weight loss. The reason why it helps in preventing obesity is that it blocks the movement of Glucose in Fat cells. It has substances known as Polyphenols which are proven to help in weight loss by increasing the metabolism of fats by the liver, stops the lipase (a fat absorbing enzyme) in the digestive tract and also provides the fullness feeling. Polyphenols especially Catechins do not function as a stimulant but helps in burning calories. For those ladies out there who wants to lose some weight, consuming green tea daily is definitely a good option.

There are few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:• cancer• rheumatoid arthritis• high cholesterol levels• cariovascular disease• infection• impaired immune function

Even there are so many positive health benefits of green tea, there are also some negative issues too. Green tea is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. In addition, negative effects of green tea leaves would link to individuals who have allergies. In this case, someone who is caffeine sensitive could develop problems such as hives and rash from consuming green tea. With caffeine being a stimulant that affects the central nervous system, other problems could result such as insomnia, excessive urination, reduction of potassium levels, and even incontinence. Check out more info here

Method:1. Combine lemon grass and water in a pot. Bring to a quick boil over medium heat.2. Lower fire and allow to simmer for 15 mins. Turn off fire and add tea bags. Leave to sleep for 10 mins.3. Let the juice cold down and drain away the ingredients. Add the honey to taste.4. To serve, fill glasses with ice. Add 2 lemon slices in each glass. Top with tea and add halved lemon grass stalks & lemon slices to decorate.

hi just chanced upon your site! what a coincidence. I also have a son who's going to be 5 and am constantly trying to whip up good and nutritious food for him. Glad to have found your recipes which I will definitely try on him soon :)

Btw are young children allowed to drink green tea? Did you give some of this concoction for your son to try? My son loves to try anything I eat/drink. He's very wai-sik mau.

Hi Mommy Pingmouse, thank you so much for dropping by my site and I am so glad that you found the recipes useful for your 5 year old son. As green tea contains caffeine, I don't recommend this drink to your son. But, you and your hubby can enjoy it, it is very refreshing! Hope to see you around again!